A Fuel Economy Challenge staged by leading tyre manufacturer Kumho has proved the worth of fitting low rolling resistance tyres with the new technology rubber delivering a 5.1 per cent advantage in fuel efficiency under normal driving conditions, potentially saving the average motorist around $160 a year.

The Kumho ecowing Fuel Economy Challenge was staged over 400 kilometres of mixed driving conditions using two identical Hyundai i40 diesel sedans, one fitted with Kumho's new ecowing ES01 tyres and the other with conventional steel belted Kumho tyres.

Driven by two motoring journalists and with independent observers from Sydney's North Shore Sporting Car Club the ecowing Fuel Economy Challenge proved the benefit of the ecowing tyres in providing a fuel economy benefit for motorists without compromising ride, handling and overall tyre performance.

The Kumho ecowing Fuel Economy Challenge showed that the average motorist could save around $160 per year in fuel costs by switching to Kumho ecowing ES01 tyres.

According to David Basha, the benefit of the new ecowing ES01 tyres is that drivers don't have to alter their driving style or think about saving money and fuel, it just flows as a consequence of fitting low rolling resistance tyres.

"Saving fuel can often be hard work and to yield even a small fuel economy advantage often requires a great deal of focus and concentration," said David Basha.

"However the results of this ecowing Fuel Economy Challenge are clear evidence that motorists can save fuel by switching to low rolling resistance tyres like the new Kumho ecowing ES01," he said.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the average vehicle fuel consumption in Australia is currently 13.8 litres per 100km across the Australian national car park of around 15 million vehicles. Switching to low rolling resistance tyres such as Kumho's ecowing ES01 could reduce the average Australian fuel consumption by 0.708 litres per 100km, saving each and every motorist close to 100 litres of fuel each year or more than $160 per car.

On a national basis a switch to ecowing ES01 tyres would save close to 1.5 billion litres of fuel per annum or around $2.4 billion in fuel costs across the country.

"They are astounding figures when you think about it and all the more amazing when you realise that without any great effort we could be saving fuel money and the environment just by moving to low rolling resistance tyres, David Basha added.

The Kumho ecowing ES01 Fuel Economy Challenge was staged over a set course from Berowra in Sydney's north to Bulahdelah where the drivers and observers swapped cars for the return journey to Sydney to ensure differences in driving style were evened out.

The cars covered 400.3 km with the Hyundai i40 shod with conventional Kumho steel belted radials consuming 20.26 litres of fuel for an average of 5.065litres/100km.

The other Hyundai i40 fitted with Kumho ecowing ES01 tyres consumed just 19.21 litres of fuel for an average of 4.801 litres/100km, a 5.1 per cent advantage in fuel consumption.

The two Hyundai i40's were driven by Tarmac Magazine's editor, Dean Evans and freelancer Mitchell Oke. Both drove with normal road conditions in mind, sitting on the speed limit and accelerating normally to replicate average everyday conditions.

"We were very focussed on ensuring that this wasn't a save fuel at all costs exercise, it very much had to prove the benefits of the ecowing ES01 tyres in a passive fuel saving situation," said David Basha.

Since its inception in 1960, Kumho Tyres has been a model of steady growth amid dramatic changes of business landscape. Driven by innovation in management and technical development Kumho has become one of the top ten tyre companies in the world.

Over the past half-century Kumho Tyres has built the foundation for a sustainable company, which has thrived through a full range of business environments.

Kumho has succeeded in the development of superior tyres for all vehicles including high performance, passenger, sports utility and recreational vehicles, as well as light trucks, heavy truck and buses, industrial, agricultural, mining and construction vehicles as well as aircraft.

Kumho produces more than 68 million tyres annually with a massive research and development program which comprises more than 600 research personnel and 300 testing machines at proving grounds in South Korea, China, Europe and North America, Kumho leads the world with the latest in tyre technology, safety and performance. In Australia Kumho markets an extensive range of tyres for cars, 4WD's, light commercials, trucks and buses with a network centred around five state locations with the ability to distribute tyres to retailers across all areas of Australia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXXC0iRhobI&feature=youtu.be

See Kumho's new ecowing low rolling resistance tyres save 5 per cent on fuel usage in a 400km comparison challenge between two identical Hyundai i40 CRDi sedans one using Kumho ecowing , the other on standard steel belt radials

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